Civilized Conflict

[Morningstar1337]

It makes a lot more sense when you consider that if it weren't for Garlemald and Primals Eorzea would likely be at war with itself. Much like it has been throughout a lot of it's known history. That the Grand Companies would bicker over powerful Allagan relics doesn't at all surprise me. It fits. That isn't to say that PvP hasn't been handled poorly where the lore is concerned but still.

To add, there had been two examples of the states of Eorzea not being as buddy-buddy with each other as the game depicts

• The Autumn War: The reason the Alliance was initially formed in the first place was because Ala Mhigo waged war on the Twelveswood. And proved to be a danger to the other three states in the process. In essence their first common enemy came form within
• The Dragonsong War: More neutral than malicious, but Ishgard was the only citystate that didn't willingly join the Alliance when it reformed, despite that the Garleans would be much more dangerous that Nidhogg's petty rage in the long run. Not to mention that Thordian the leader at the time would not be that far off from Ala Mhigo's King of Ruin when it come to ambitions of dominance.

It is also worth noting that while the GC leaders are friends, the cultures would still be at odds and each of them have higher powers that would likely wage war with each other if they wanted. For Ul'dah, its the Syndicate, specifically the Monaterist faction. For Gridiania, its the elementals who have been liken to a cult in other threads and for Limsa? Well in that cast Mewlyb is the actual leader but there is still the potential for rouge pirates messing things up in a vacuum (as in, if there weren't bigger fish to fry like Garlemald).

Likewise each of the States have their own reaosn for coveting the Allagan relics. Ul'dah's Syndicate would easily profit off the Allagan infomation there, The Elementals would see said infomation as something to be hidden given the trouble the technology had caused (with the possibility of Allag influencing Mhach, the instigator of the War of the Magi that pissed them off to create a biblical great flood.) and like Ul'dah, Limsa could profit off the knowledge and would likely use it themselves rather then selling it to the highest bidder (Note that Rowena was from Ul'dah)

(Note the Allag-Mhach thing is speculation on my end. Based around the use of voidsent)

[Alberel]

IIRC didn't Nanamo at one point state that the Frontlines battles were actually staged as a front to stop Lolorito laying claim to the territory? The GCs aren't actually feuding over anything, they're just contesting the land to ensure what's buried there (Omega) doesn't fall into less scrupulous hands.

I do think we'll see the GC restrictions on PvP lifted eventually, but Yoshi is waiting for some specific story event to explain it. I hope that it may be soon now that the Alliance is reformed.

[LineageRazor]

Keep in mind, too, that the initial driving force behind setting up the Frontlines mock battles in Carteneau was not just to decide ownership of Allagan artifacts, but specifically to prevent Teleji Adaleji from easily acquiring a specific Allagan Artifact: The Omega Weapon, which is said to be hidden there.

Teleji is dead, now, so that's less of an immediate concern, but the Alliance can't simply drop everything now that he's gone, as that would be tantamount to admitting that they'd set the whole thing in motion just to cock block a wealthy Ul'dah council member from making a powerful investment - something which would disgruntle a lot of powerful individuals in Ul'dah (who LIKE to have the freedom to spend their wealth making powerful investments, and have the influence to make things mighty awkward for the Alliance if they were ever to became outright hostile to it). Even if they could just drop everything, doing so would open up Carteneau for purchase by some other individual with the same idea as Teleji.

Anyway, now that they've established a precedent in the handling of Allagan artifacts, they've continued the practice in the two new PvP areas, again, pretty much, to hide the fact that the whole farce is primarily to keep Omega Weapon (and any other Allagan nasties they might find along the way) out of private ownership.

[Aryalandi]

I have mostly just never understood why they don't open the bloodsands in Ul'dah as a pvp arena, it was literally teased right in the gladiator storyline as being a big goal for everyone to get to fight there but then they never actually did anything with it. It makes no sense to have a famous arena available for pvp/pve tournament style combat and then not use it for anything but a random mention in a couple of quests.

As for the Grand Companies sanctioned skirmishing between their forces in the form of competitive games is a moral booster, it builds unity in factions, lets bored soldiers vent and show national pride while also getting some valuable training in. Also there is the obvious keeping other people out while also securing valuable resources. In short as long as they do not het carried away the benifits are pretty huge.

[MiraKershaw]

It makes a lot more sense when you consider that if it weren't for Garlemald and Primals Eorzea would likely be at war with itself. Much like it has been throughout a lot of it's known history. That the Grand Companies would bicker over powerful Allagan relics doesn't at all surprise me. It fits. That isn't to say that PvP hasn't been handled poorly where the lore is concerned but still.

Find this VERY hard to believe the only known conflict is between Ala Mhigo and thats because they wanted to annex the shroud, if you think about it there's not really a possible way they would war with each other if we are thinking the main three, Gridania sticks to itself in the shroud, Ul'dah wouldnt want to waste money to push into shroud or build a navy to take Limsa, or Limsa to take on a infantry based nation like Ul'dah.

Mainly because elementals of the shroud, ul'dah trying to take on a navy based nation like limsa and vice versa, all possible conflicts seem to negated by how the nations themselves are set up.

[Morningstar1337]

Mainly because elementals of the shroud, ul'dah trying to take on a navy based nation like limsa and vice versa, all possible conflicts seem to negated by how the nations themselves are set up.

I still think that how the nations are set up would also be the reason there is potential for war between them. If the Elementals were known for being pacifists, we wouldn't have Mhach attempt play Noah's Ark. Ul'dah could easy buy out the more corrupt people of La Noscea (who bear in mind, ARE pirates) and distribute the Trader's Spurn to further turn their opponents into allies (That's how they dealt with Sil'dih). Limsa Lominsa? again, pirates and likely with some people wanting to go back to the days of yore were piracy was king.

The potential for war is there, with the only fetters being a desire to not be annexed but a foreign power (Garlemald), or stripped of their free will and turned into a more blatant and dangerous theorcratic version of themselves serving a God-Emporer, as well as the realpolitik that became the result of the GC formations and alliance (And even then, that already puts them odds with the Syndicate). The Final fetter on whatever desire for war is there is the prominence of a certain NGO to aid them in repelling Garlemald and the Primals so that they can retain their freedom/free will.

[VargasVermillion]

72 Warriors of Light in one place? You'd be mad to try and make a move on those territories...

The thing about this though is that I'm pretty sure lore wise there is only 1 warrior of light, the other 3/7 are 'skilled mercenaries' and the like.

[MiraKershaw]

I still think that how the nations are set up would also be the reason there is potential for war between them. If the Elementals were known for being pacifists, we wouldn't have Mhach attempt play Noah's Ark. Ul'dah could easy buy out the more corrupt people of La Noscea (who bear in mind, ARE pirates) and distribute the Trader's Spurn to further turn their opponents into allies (That's how they dealt with Sil'dih). Limsa Lominsa? again, pirates and likely with some people wanting to go back to the days of yore were piracy was king.

I don't really see the Elementals as pacifists but more of a ward, you mess with the elementals you get nuked and who wants that, also you seem to think Ul'dah is a united even though every syndicate member seems to have their own distrust amongst each other and are even more corrupt than the people of la noscea, not to mention each syndicate member more or less has their own private army.

As for buying out the pirates, Ul'dah has no way to gurantee the pirates into doing their work, with no navy to pressure them, the pirates have free will , whats stopping them from just taking the money and buggering off, or just raiding ul'dah merchant ships, limsans would even pay them more for doing that, and as you said piracy is king, ul'dah wouldnt trust pirates if they can barely trust themselves.

[Alberel]

Keep in mind, too, that the initial driving force behind setting up the Frontlines mock battles in Carteneau was not just to decide ownership of Allagan artifacts, but specifically to prevent Teleji Adaleji from easily acquiring a specific Allagan Artifact: The Omega Weapon, which is said to be hidden there.

Teleji is dead, now, so that's less of an immediate concern, but the Alliance can't simply drop everything now that he's gone, as that would be tantamount to admitting that they'd set the whole thing in motion just to cock block a wealthy Ul'dah council member from making a powerful investment - something which would disgruntle a lot of powerful individuals in Ul'dah (who LIKE to have the freedom to spend their wealth making powerful investments, and have the influence to make things mighty awkward for the Alliance if they were ever to became outright hostile to it). Even if they could just drop everything, doing so would open up Carteneau for purchase by some other individual with the same idea as Teleji.

Anyway, now that they've established a precedent in the handling of Allagan artifacts, they've continued the practice in the two new PvP areas, again, pretty much, to hide the fact that the whole farce is primarily to keep Omega Weapon (and any other Allagan nasties they might find along the way) out of private ownership.

Ah was it Teledji? I forgot which it was but assumed Lolorito for some reason. Indeed with Teledji now dead that leaves even more room for them to lift the GC restrictions lore-wise as they no longer need to maintain the charade quite so enthusiastically.

[EdwinLi]

These mock battles are also the result of disagreement on how to handle the Allagan technology.

Each city state want to use them for different reason with each reason being a belief that their method will benefit Eorzea.

We don't really know what each City State wish to use the Allagan tech and knowledge for but best guess is that...

Ul'dah wants to use it to advance Eorzea's Industrial side. Well this is basically Industrialisation.

Gridania wants to use it to advance the more Medical and Agriculture side. Good for improving farming, medical knowledge for finding non-magical cures for diseases, and prevent any agriculture issues or repair damages from old agriculture issues.

Limsa wants to use it to advance Military technology side. Better ships, weapons, and vehicles which are great for defending against possible invasion and being well equipped to travel into unknown lands.

All three benefits Eorzea but each City State only see their method as better than the other two and with there not being enough Allagan Tech for all three they rather set up a mock battle over a actual war for how they believe Eorzea should advance in technology.